Four men face charges in online sex stings

KINGSTON — Four men face felony charges in a series of separate online sex-sting arrests, including a former Wilkes University cross country coach who also worked as an occupational therapist for a private school organization.

Nicholas Wadas, 40, of West Vaughn Street, Kingston, was arrested Thursday by Kingston Police following an alleged encounter with self-styled Luzerne County Predator Catcher Musa Harris, who posted a video and message transcripts in which Harris claimed Wadas sought to meet meet him for sex, believing Harris to be a 15-year-old girl.

Kingston Police, in an affidavit filed against Wadas, indicated that his arrest followed receipt of video and screenshots of messages “from a cooperating witness.”

Gabrielle D’Amico, a spokeswoman for Wilkes, confirmed Thursday night that the university is aware of the charges against Wadas and that he was no longer employed by the university as of Tuesday.

A spokeswoman for New Story Schools, an organization of special education schools in Pennsylvania, Ohio, and Virginia, emailed a statement indicating they also are aware of the incident.

“The employee is no longer employed by or affiliated with New Story Schools,” spokeswoman Katie Fitzgerald wrote. “This incident did not involve a New Story Schools student. Our student’s safety, physical, and emotional wellbeing is our top priority.”

The four men against whom charges were filed Thursday are:

• Rodney E. Albertson, 53, of East Kirmar Avenue, Nanticoke

Charges: Solicitation to commit involuntary deviate sexual intercourse with a minor, attempted unlawful contact with a minor, solicitation to commit statutory sexual assault, criminal use of a communication facility.

Albertson was arraigned in front of District Judge James Haggerty and committed to the Luzerne County Correctional Facility after failing to post $20,000 bail. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for 10:15 a.m. Nov. 30.

• Ralph Theodore Stoudt, 38, of Vine Street, Plymouth

Charges: Solicitation to commit involuntary deviate sexual intercourse with a minor, attempted unlawful contact with a minor, solicitation to commit statutory sexual assault, criminal use of a communication facility.

Stoudt was arraigned in front of District Judge James Haggerty and released on unsecured bail. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for 11 a.m. Nov. 30.

• William Jesse Thomas, 44, of Loomis Street, Nanticoke

Charges: Solicitation to commit involuntary deviate sexual intercourse with a minor, attempted unlawful contact with a minor, solicitation to commit statutory sexual assault, criminal use of a communication facility.

Thomas was arraigned in front of District Judge James Haggerty and committed to the Luzerne County Correctional Facility after failing to post $10,000 bail. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for 10:30 a.m. Nov. 30.

• Nicholas Wadas, 40, of West Vaughn Street, Kingston

Charges: Solicitation to commit statutory sexual assault, attempted unlawful contact with a minor, criminal use of a communication facility.

Wadas was arraigned in front of District Judge James Haggerty and posted $15,000 bail. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for 10:45 a.m. Nov. 30.

Wadas allegations

The affidavit filed against Wadas alleges that according to the information provided to police, he engaged in social media messages with the witness, who he believed to be a teenage girl, between Oct. 17 and Nov. 13.

According to the affidavit:

The messages included Wadas engaging in explicit conversations about the sexual acts he wished to perform with the “girl.” At one point, when the “girl” told Wadas not to message her any longer, he sent a partially obscured photo of his genital area.

Using a pseudonym, Wadas allegedly messaged the “girl” on Sunday seeking to arrange a meeting, stating “do you really do older men, this isn’t a trap.”

Messages showed Wadas arranged to meet her at a gas station on Union Street in Luzerne. There, the “cooperating witness” recorded the meeting, as well as the license plate on the vehicle Wadas was driving as he fled. Police said the male driving the vehicle matched Wadas’ driver’s license photo and a photo he had sent to the “girl.”

Kingston Det. Stephen Gibson said he received information on Tuesday from another cooperating witness who said Wadas was a co-worker.

“This witness also reported speaking with Nicholas and reported that he admitted to having the conversation and meeting with who he described as being an underage girl,” the affidavit states.

Albertson allegations

Police said they received information from a cooperating witness who reported that an adult male, later identified as Albertson, “tried to meet with who believed a 15-year-old female for oral sex.”

According to the affidavit:

The witness provided communications which allegedly showed that Robertson messaged the “girl” on Sept. 27 with a waving hand emoji followed by a message about performing oral sex on her. When told the communicant was 15, Albertson initially told her to delete his number and the communication ended.

On Sept. 30, Albertson wrote back and asked if her friend also was 15. Told that she was, Robertson told her he is from Nanticoke and graphically described how he wanted to perform oral sex on her.

“You tell me and give me an address and I’ll come service you,” Albertson wrote.

They agreed on a meeting place, and Albertson wrote that “I hope for this is for real no trouble.”

Once Albertson arrived at the meeting place, the male witness began to videotape him and advised Albertson that he had his identification information and was going to call the police.

Albertson replied “you can do whatever you want, I didn’t touch her,” before backing his vehicle out and driving away.

Thomas allegations

On July 26, Kingston Police had contact with a cooperating witness who reported that he met an adult male who believed he was going to have sex with a juvenile female.

According to the affidavit:

The witness provided screenshots of messages and videos from “Jesse Thomas,” who on June 25 sent a nude photo of himself, with his penis covered, to an account posing as a 15-year-old girl, writing “Hello, beautiful.”

Thomas engaged in a conversation with the “girl,” and proposed going out to “chill” and have “a few drinks.”

The “girl” responded that she wasn’t old enough to drink and didn’t have a driver’s license.

They began messaging about smoking marijuana, and later methamphetamine as well. The conversation turned sexual, and Thomas asked the “girl” for photos of her breasts, as well as whether they could video chat. He sent her two photos of his penis and made graphic sexual suggestions.

The following day they again discussed meeting outside a pharmacy and smoking marijuana.

They met outside a CVS, where the witness recorded the interaction between Thomas and two witnesses. Police reviewed the video, and said Thomas told them he was there to meet his son. He later said he wasn’t there to meet anyone but agreed that photos on a witness’ phone were of him. He then told the witness “that someone has been using his apps.”

The witness called Thomas through the same social media site that they were using and his phone rang.

Thomas “continued to deny that he was meeting a 15-year-old-girl but eventually said that he talks to a lot of woman and said ‘whether it’s a 15-year-old I don’t know that,’” before telling the witness “to go get people causing real crime.”

Stoudt allegations

The 15-year-old “girl” solicited online for sex by a man who identified himself as a local firefighter turned out to be a cooperating witness working with police, arrest papers said.

Stoudt was arraigned on charges of criminal solicitation of a minor for involuntary deviate sexual intercourse, criminal attempt of unlawful contact with a minor for sex and criminal use of communication facility, all felony charges.

Arrest papers filed by Kingston Police said: The cooperating witness met with an adult male, later identified as Stoudt, who showed up believing he was going to have sex with the 15-year-old girl he had been in contact with.

Stoudt first made online contact with the witness posing as a teenage girl at 3:05 a.m. on Oct. 3. Stoudt told the “girl” she looked sexy and did not cut off the conversation when the girl mentioned her age. The conversation became explicit with Stoudt sending photos of his penis, asking her for photos and to meet for sex. Stoudt cancelled the meeting, saying he was called in to work and would be available the following day.

On Oct. 4 Stoudt messaged the “girl” and resumed making explicit comments and sending more photos of his penis. Over the next few days Stoudt continued messaging the “girl” about having sex with her and told her he injured himself falling off a ladder on a fire call and had to see a spine doctor. Despite being told again of her age on Oct. 8, Stoudt asked if he could stop at her house and said he would ride his bike to meet with her at a predetermined location.

When Stoudt arrived, the cooperating witness recorded their meeting on video. Stoudt apologized for talking to a young girl and later admitted he was messaging someone “who he believed to be a 15-year-old female to have sex with her.” Police said the photos Stoudt sent online matched a Pennsylvania photo identification of him.